The conventional wisdom — and the salary structure — says that there are four premium “positions” in the NFL, and teams need to get quality players at those positions. Quarterback. Offensive (left) tackle. Outside pass-rusher. Cornerback. And yet, during the past five years, teams drafting in the top dozen picks have strayed from that strategy.

2009
Quarterback: 2
Offensive tackle: 3
Outside passrusher: 3
Cornerback: 0
Other: 4
Comment: Two receivers went in the top dozen, with the Raiders seeming to reach for Heyward-Bey.

2005
Quarterback: 1
Offensive tackle: 0
Outside passrusher: 2
Cornerback: 3
Other: 6
Comment: Three running backs in top 5, including Ronnie Brown. We may never see that again.

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Which players man the premium positions in the AFC East?

Dolphins:
Quarterback: Chad Henne
Left tackle: Jake Long
Top cornerback: Vontae Davis
Top pass-rusher: Cameron Wake
Comment: Since Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano took over, the Dolphins have invested two first-round picks and two second-round picks on traditionally premium positions (including Sean Smith) and plucked Wake out of the CFL. Wake, at 28, is the oldest of the group.

Jets
Quarterback: Mark Sanchez
Left tackle: D’Brickashaw Ferguson
Top cornerback: Darrelle Revis
Top pass-rusher: Calvin Pace
Comment: This is why the Jets figure to be dangerous for a while. They were already loaded with young talent at these spots, and they’ve already added 25-year-old former Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Imagine if pass-rusher Vernon Gholston gets a clue.

Patriots
Quarterback: Tom Brady
Left tackle: Matt Light
Top cornerback: Leigh Bodden
Top pass-rusher: Tully Banta-Cain
Comment: Brady’s elite, and Light is a proven veteran. But the Patriots’ defense isn’t anything special anymore, and that’s evident by the lack of starpower on this list. Banta-Cain, a former seventh-round pick, was a surprise last season, outplaying pricier Adalius Thomas.

Bills
Quarterback: Trent Edwards
Left tackle: Demetrius Bell
Top cornerback: Terrence McGee
Top pass-rusher: Aaron Schobel
Comment: Much work to do. Bell is a seventh-round project. Edwards has regressed. McGee is a good player, and the other starting cornerback (former No. 11 overall pick Leodis McKelvin) has a chance to be. Schobel is second in the NFL in sacks since 2001 (to Jason Taylor).

1st – narrow it down to top 5 picks, how many of those have been premium positions?

2nd- Id even eliminate corner from the “premium” tag and look to see how top 5 picks have been QB, OT, or Pass Rusher. No corner has been taken top 5 in those years. Its more of a premium Free Agent category.

2005 – 1 of top 5
2006 – 3 of top 5
2007 – 4 of top 5
2008 – 3 of top 5 (and they went 1-2-3)
2009 – 4 of top 5

Fortunately the Dolphins are set at QB, left Tackle, cornerback. With Wade developing and keeping Taylor we are probably OK if not great at OLB. This sufficiency gives us the chance to either pick the best player available with the first pick – probably CJ Spiller (not filling an immediate need assuming Ronnie is healthy but filling a long term need and adding an amazing play-maker) or Dez Bryant – definitely filling a need.

MIKE BERARDINO is still living the dream he first hatched as a young boy growing up in South Florida in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He’s writing about sports for a living. Best of all, he’s doing it in a now-crowded South Florida sports landscape teeming with talent, passion and, yes, sometimes even controversy. As the newest sports columnist at the Sun Sentinel, where he’s worked since February 1998, most recently as a Dolphins beat writer, Mike will draw on his many experiences over the years covering virtually every major sport and event. You name it, he’s been on the scene: World Series, Summer and Winter Olympics, Super Bowls, NBA Finals, NCAA Final Fours, BCS Championships, Wimbledon, the Masters, NASCAR Sprint Cup and on and on. Talk about living the dream. And now, with this new role and a daily blog forum for his many ideas and opinions, it just keeps getting better.